What a Summer! {Grilled Vegetable Enchiladas}

As I sat down to write, I looked back at the previous posts and saw it has been quite a while since I've shared anything at all here. Following what was a Spring filled with a multitude of kid-related events etc, I had envisioned a summer filled with cooking and recipe testing and writing and family and fun. Summer had other ideas about what would be. Following a series of unfortunate events (minor illnesses for the kids & a seemingly small ankle injury that resulted in surgery for my sweet daughter), not much happened in the way of creative cooking.  While we did have an amazingly fun trip to the NJ/NYC area, the majority of the summer was spent in survival mode. Now,with the school year in full swing, we're just now acclimating to the school year schedule and all that it brings. Also, it is officially Fall, but here in Central Texas, temps are still reaching into the 90's so no sweater vests or cords for us just yet. 

With warm-weather cooking still on my mind, and summer crops still available at the local farmers' market, I set out to make a meal that was simple, tasty and not in our usual rotation. I love a good enchilada and have an excellent recipe for my Grandma's red sauce. However, that dish can be a bit heavy with the cheese-filled tortillas, sauce and more cheese. This dish is a bit lighter with all of the things required to be defined as an enchilada but with a bit of a twist --  the filling is purely grilled vegetables, the sauces, one red and one green, are also light and fresh and the cheese is a queso fresco which is lighter than the mounds of melted cheese found in the traditional version. Additionally, rather than a casserole type item, the final product is given a light fry in oil to crisp up the corn tortilla and give it some texture. It is a big like a flauta in a way, but not really...maybe it is a flauta-lada. Whatever you call it, it is so so good and made a fabulous re-entry into creative cooking here in my home.

Grilled Vegetable Enchiladas with Red and Green Sauces

adapted from Ruth Cosineau

• 1 lb of fresh zucchini squash; sliced lengthwise into 1/4" thick slices
• 1 large onion, peeled and cut into 1/4" slices
• 2-4 red sweet peppers, stems and seeds removed and cut into quarters
• 8 corn tortillas
• canola oil
• 8 oz of queso fresco, crumbled
• your favorite red salsa (fresh, table style preferably)
• your favorite green sauce (tomatillo salsa is a good choice)

1. Prepare grill or grill pan to medium high heat. While grill is heating, prepare vegetable slices and place on a grill pan/grill basket.
2. Place vegetables on grill and cook until slightly charred - about 6-8 minutes for peppers and squash and 10-12 minutes for onions. Turn as needed to have both sides even. (Cook to your taste, but let them cook at least until softened)
3. Once vegetables are done, slice into thin strips and hold until ready to fill enchiladas.
4. In a small fry pan, add enough oil to have depth of 1/4-1/2"of oil. Heat oil over medium-high heat. In order to soften tortillas for rolling, slide tortilla into the hot oil briefly and then remove to a papertowel lined plate. (Allow oil to drip back into saute pan before moving.) Once all tortillas have been softened move on to filling.
5. Spread a scant tablespoon of the green sauce on the surface of the pliable tortilla. Fill with strips of grilled vegetables being careful to not over stuff. Roll tortilla and then place enchilada into the hot oil; seam side down first. Once the enchilada has crisped a bit, use the tongs to flip and crisp other side. (I used a small 8 in pan(in an effort to reduce the amount of initial oil needed) so I did these one at a time. If you use a larger pan, you may be able to fit more at once.)
6. When crisped, move enchilada to plate. Drizzle with both salsas and crumbled queso & serve and enjoy!

Note: I used homemade salsas, but jarred salsas would do just as well. The local farmers' market has many high quality products that have more of the aspects of a fresh made salsa than the standard mass produced store varieties. Additionally, make sure that your rolled enchiladas aren't too wet with sauce as you will cause a flash fire when you place them in the grease - I learned the hard way with a couple of surprising flare-ups!

These were absolutely delicious and such a refreshing change of pace from our usual dinners. I'm hoping this sparked my cooking mojo and that it will stick with me into the fall season!

Happy Cooking!

sld

Farmers' Market Friday - Savoring Summer for just a bit longer {Ratatouille}

School started back up this week. I wasn't ready for that. I have been in denial because I do so love to be on our own family schedule and not at the mercy of all of the schedules that hit when school is back in session - school day, karate, dance, Scouts, clubs, service groups, etc etc etc. So, I've sort of been slacking off - I didn't really have my head in the right place to get back to making lunches or to having dinner ready in advance of all of the evening activities that have already flooded the schedule. 

Last night found me with an evening meeting of my own to attend, and karate for the boy and some light homework for the girl. I needed to fix a dinner that was fairly simple and could be eaten by the family in shifts. I checked my refrigerator and found all the usual suspects: tomatoes, squash, eggplant, onions, cucumbers and peppers. All of those, except for the cucumbers are the essential ingredients to Ratatouille. Viola! 

Ratatouille is a classic, French Provencal, vegetable stew. It can be served cool with a splash of lemon or herbed vinegar to brighten the flavors of the summer vegetables or it can be served warm as a side dish to chicken or lamb. It even works well as a vegetarian entree especially when ladled over a saffron rice. It is one of those dishes that really acquires a better flavor as it sits, so whip up a large batch as leftovers are welcomed (and even taste better than the first day.)

Farmers' Market Shopping List for this dish: 

• eggplant
• summer squash; either yellow or zucchini
• sweet ripe peppers; either yellow or red or mix
• olive oil
• fresh basil

Ratatouille

• 1/4 C plus 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb eggplant, peeled and cut into 1"cubes
• 1 lb zucchini, cut into 1"cubes
• 2 C sliced onions
• 2-3 medium ripe peppers, cut into 1 in squares
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 C chopped fresh tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 C fresh basil, chopped

1. In a large dutch oven, over medium high heat, heat the olive oil. Once oil is heated and shimmering, add eggplant and squash. Saute until the vegetables are golden and tender (about 10-12 minutes).
2. Remove vegetables to a bowl and reserve (will be added back at end). In same pot, reduce heat to medium and add 2 Tbsp oil and onions. Cook, until the onions are slightly softened. 
3. Add peppers and garlic to onions and cook until the vegetables are tender (about 8-10 minutes.) Add chopped tomatoes and bay leaf. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for  5 minutes or so. 
4. Add cooked eggplant and zucchini back to the pot and cook until everything is tender (about 20 minutes more.) Remove bay leaf; stir in fresh chopped basil, stir and serve!

We had this dish in 3 shifts last night. It was delicious and a great way to use this summer produce. There were leftovers, so tonight's meal is already done which will free me up to get a handle on the other bane of the back to school existence - laundry!

Happy Cooking!

sld

Disclosure: I was invited by Wolf Ranch Farmer's Market to visit and meet the vendors and was provided Market Money with which to purchase ingredients for use in the Farmers' Market Friday posts.  I was not compensated to write this article and all opinions are my own.

Farmers' Market Friday - Back to Basics {Sauteed Summer Squash Casserole}

For the past 10 days, I've been engaged in a sugar detox. The thing is, it was a bit more than just sugar; ten days spent with no sugar, artificial sweeteners, grains of any sort, alcohol, coffee, tea, dairy and only one serving of low glycemic fruits per day. Why, you ask? I mean, if you know me at all, you know that I'm all about moderation in foods, that is, including everything, excluding nothing, but being mindful about the quality of food and limiting items that should be limited. So, this whole endeavor didn't really fit with my general philosophy.  I wish I had some great, deep, introspective answer as to what the deciding factor was, but really it is because a friend posted about it and I was intrigued and thought it would be a good way to sort of re-boot my system. Overall, the plan (The Blood Sugar Solution 10 Day Detox Diet by Mark Hyman, M.D., if you're interested) was good. The first four days were rough as I detoxed off of caffeine and I guess sugar, too. After that, it was just business as usual. The recipes or food guidelines didn't differ all that much from our usual meals for lunch and dinner and breakfast consisted of a variety of smoothies. 

Wait, don't leave....today's recipe is not one from the detox. However, as we transitioned back into a moderate way of eating, I was looking for something that would be in line with the plan but perhaps add back in a couple of the restricted items. This casserole fits the bill and is delicious - detox or not. 

Items from the market for this week:

• summer squash - yellow or zucchini or a combination
• sweet peppers - red or yellow
• tomatoes
• onions
• olive oil

Sauteed Summer Squash Casserole 

(adapted from Country Living)

• 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (I used a purple (aka red) onion)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-3 medium summer squash (yellow, zucchini or mix of each), cut into 1/4 in thick rounds
• 1 sweet pepper, cut into 1 in squares (red or yellow - again your preference - I used red to add some more color to the mix)
• 1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 lb. tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1/2 C panko bread crumbs (light, Japanese bread crumbs can be found on the international foods aisle and possibly also on the flour aisle near the standard bread crumbs; could sub standard bread or even cracker crumbs if you like)

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. In a large skillet, over medium heat, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is tender and translucent (about 7-9 minutes).
3. Add squash and peppers, season with a bit of salt to taste. The squash rounds have a tendency to stick together so make sure to separate them while stirring. Cook about 10 minutes until the squash is tender.
4. Spoon mixture into a 11X7 inch (or equivalent square) baking dish. Top with tomato slices, overlapping if necessary. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle bread crumbs and Parmesan evenly over the top and drizzle with about 1 Tbsp of olive oil. 
5. Bake until the topping is crisp and lightly browned and the vegetables are heated through - about 20 minutes or so.  Serve hot or at room temperature. Enjoy!

I served this along side a very simple grilled chicken breast that was seasoned with a basic Italian herb mix. For us,  it was just the thing to transition a couple of things (cheese and bread) back into our diet without overloading our systems and will be added to our rotation of go-to side dishes. For you, it is a great way to use items that are currently in season in a light, fresh casserole.

Happy Cooking!

sld

Disclosure: I was invited by Wolf Ranch Farmer's Market to visit and meet the vendors and was provided Market Money with which to purchase ingredients for use in the Farmers' Market Friday posts.  I was not compensated to write this article and all opinions are my own.

Farmers' Market Friday - For the love of Okra {Chiles Rellenos with Okra, Corn & Chorizo}

I'm having a modest love affair with okra right now. As I've previously mentioned in this space, the mere mention of the word can strike fear in the hearts of the uninitiated. Furry, fibrous, filled with large tan seeds and mucilaginous, it isn't the most obvious objects of affection. However, given the right treatment, this vegetable is a summer wonder. Mostly known in its fried and gumbo forms, I've been sauteing, stewing and pickling it for the past few weeks. It was about time for something new. 

When I saw some absolutely gorgeous Sweet Italian Peppers at the market, I knew what was up - Chiles Rellenos would be a great way to enjoy some okra. Chiles Rellenos (simply stuffed peppers in Spanish) are are typically on Tex-Mex menus as poblano peppers stuffed with ranchero chicken, or beef, or just cheese, and then battered and fried. I've made them, and they are a lot of work, and as you'll note, with the exception of the pepper itself, not very produce focused. Rather than that style, I ventured to try a more traditionally Mexican preparation that excludes the battering and frying and focuses on roasting and baking. Additionally, this recipe includes Spanish-style chorizo which is not the fresh super spiced red sausage that most of us know as a breakfast taco filling. Instead, this Spanish style chorizo is dried links with a very fragrant, smoky flavor and can be found near the deli in the "fraunchy" cheese section of most grocery stores.  

For this recipe, here's the market shopping list - (note: a number of vendors grow and sell the produce listed below. Investigate the market and ask vendors and select the items that look best from the vendors you choose.)

• Sweet Italian Peppers (mine were green; they may be available only ripe red now and that might be even more delicious)
• Okra 
• Sweet Corn 
• Sweet onions 
• Fresh Garlic 
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Central Texas Olive Ranch

Chiles Rellenos with Okra, Corn & Chorizo

adapted from Tim Love

• 6 large Italian sweet peppers (or poblanos)
• 1/2 lb okra, sliced in 1/2 in. rounds (about 2 C)
• 2-3 oz of dried, Spanish Chorizo (locally, I like Aurelia's Chorizo made in my childhood hometown of Boerne (oddly enough) & can be found at HEB)
• 1/2 medium sweet onion cut into small dice
• 2-3 ears of corn, kernels cut off the cob
• 8 oz Monterrey Jack cheese, grated/shredded
• 6-8 Tbsp of cotija cheese
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil

1. Heat broiler. Line a baking pan with foil. Wash peppers well and pat dry. Coat each pepper with a bit of olive oil and place on baking pan. Place peppers under the broiler and allow skins to char. Watch closely to prevent burning. Use tongs to turn peppers so the entire pepper is blistered and slightly browned to your liking. Remove pan from oven and allow peppers to sit and cool.
2. In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp of oil and add the chorizo. Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add onion and garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add corn and okra and continue to saute for 7-8 minutes. Add 1/2 C water and allow the mixture to simmer over moderately low heat to thicken. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
3. Heat oven to 350 F. Once peppers are cool enough to touch. Use a knife to make a small slit, lengthwise, in the side of the pepper. Remove seeds. Spoon filling into the prepared peppers.Top with one tbsp of cotija cheese. Place peppers in an oven-safe baking dish. Top each pepper with a generous amount of Monterrey Jack cheese.
4. Bake for 20-30 minutes until filling is hot and cheese is melted. Serve hot and enjoy!

This dish was another big hit with the family. The sweetness of the Italian pepper and the corn paired well with the onion and smokiness of the chorizo. The okra adds an interesting texture (not at all slimy) and a great flavor as well. For the vegetarians in your life, you could easily eliminate the chorizo and add a bit of smoked paprika to the vegetable filling mix to capture that smoky essence. Give okra a chance to be a co-star in this dish and let me know what you think!

Happy Cooking!

sld

Disclosure: I was invited by Wolf Ranch Farmer's Market to visit and meet the vendors and was provided Market Money with which to purchase ingredients for use in the Farmers' Market Friday posts.  I was not compensated to write this article and all opinions are my own.

Chipotle Chicken Chiles Rellenos

I'm an equal opportunity celebrator. With Cinco de Mayo (the Mexican and Mexican-American holiday celebrating the Mexican army's victory over France in a very difficult battle in Puebla, Mexico)  comes the chance to have a nice Mexican dinner. After a bit of deliberation, and asking friends via facebook, I was torn between enchiladas, fajitas and chiles rellenos - and then I saw an article about tacos that totally confused the issue even more. Lucky for El Syd that he has a lot of pull. Since he really wanted chiles rellenos, I settled on that for our meal. 

The thing is, making chiles rellenos is a real pain in the ass. You make your filling; you roast the peppers, then peel and de-seed them; stuff the peppers; make the batter, dip the stuffed peppers and then fry them...oh, and if you want to serve them with a sauce you need to make that too. Another hurdle is when you make them this way, you are really frying them one or two at a time. So, either you serve them as they are hot and ready and everyone eats in staggered intervals or you cook them all up and risk them being cooled off and perhaps even soggy. I've seen Chiles Rellenos casseroles in the past that feature the flavors of the stuffed peppers but somehow lose a certain something in the translation, that is, I don't want everything I eat to be cut into a square and served.

When I happened upon a version in Rebecca Rather's latest cookbook, I knew I needed to test it out. In this version, the roasted chiles are stuffed and placed in a baking dish, the batter is spooned over and the whole thing is baked, then sauced and topped with cheese. Her version has a more traditional stuffing (sort of a picadillo - ground meat, potatoes, raisins and nuts) which is not my favorite thing. Instead, I substituted my go-to chipotle chicken filling (which is great in enchiladas, or topping tostadas, etc.) If you wanted to try these but don't feel fully committed to making your own filling, you could substitute with some shredded rotisserie chicken meat or even just grated Monterrey Jack cheese.

Chipotle Chicken Chiles Rellenos (inspired by Rebecca Rather)

Filling: (makes about 3 cups or enough to fill 6 peppers with leftovers for another use)

• 2-3 chicken breasts (either boneless, skinless or bone-in, skin on), poached (reserve liquid for use in filling and ranchero sauce), cooled and shredded
• 6 oz fresh chorizo sausage (removed from casings)
• 1/2 C chopped onion
• 2-3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2-3 chipotle peppers (left whole for less heat/spice or chopped for more)
• 2 Tbsp of adobo sauce from canned chipotles
• 1/3 C of chicken broth (reserved from poaching) 
• 1-1.5 C canned diced tomatoes

1. In a heavy 12in or larger skillet, crumble the chorizo and cook over low heat (do not brown). If you there is a lot of fat rendered off, strain off all but 3 Tbsp. Add onion and garlic and cook over moderate hat, stirring until onions are wilted and glassy. 
2. Add tomatoes, chipotles, and adobo sauce. Continue cooking on medium(stirring often) until all moisture has been absorbed (Sauce will be "tight") This will take about 15 minutes or so. 
3. Stir in shredded chicken and reserved broth and cook another 3-4 minutes to heat chicken thoroughly. (Filling can be made in advance and refrigerated for a day or so.)

Chiles:

• 6 large, smooth poblano chile peppers

1. Roast peppers over open flame or under broiler until skins are blistered, and charred.
2. Place roasted peppers in a plastic bag or paper sack and close up to allow the pepper to "sweat" which will help to loosen the skins.
3. Once peppers are cool enough to handle, pull blistered skins off and discard. Then, make a thin slit with a sharp knife starting near the stem and running down the length of the pepper being careful not to split the pepper open entirely. Remove seeds and veins.
4. Stuff peppers with filling and place in a large enough baking dish to hold them in a single layer. (Peppers can be made to this point and refrigerated a day in advance)

Ranchero Sauce & Cheese Topping: 

• 1 C shredded Monterrey Jack cheese for topping

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 C diced onion
• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, cored and seeded and coarsely chopped
• 4 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
• 1 Tsp salt
• 1 C dry white wine
• 1 C chicken broth (reserved from poaching chicken)
• 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes (could use Rotel or other with chiles for a little kick)

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Saute the onion, garlic and bell peppers until the onion is soft (about 3 minutes or so). Add salt, wine, broth and tomatoes with their juices. Simmer over medium heat so that flavors can meld but not so long that the celery gets soft (about 15 minutes.)

Batter:

• 6 large egg whites
• 1/4 C flour
• 1/2 Tsp baking powder
• 1/4 Tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/2 Tsp chili powder
• 1/2 Tsp garlic powder

1. Using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on high speed until soft peaks are formed.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients, and beat until combined.
3. Spoon batter over the stuffed poblanos and bake at 375F for about 30 minutes (batter will be golden brown) 
4. Remove from the oven; top with ranchero sauce and shredded cheese and bake until the cheese is melty (about 5 minutes more). Serve warm.

I'll freely admit that this is a pretty ambitious dish and after writing this, it doesn't seem to be less of a pain in the ass. However,  it is not difficult.  It is a lot of steps and parts, but it is not difficult.  In this version there is no frying which, for me, is a big plus.  If you endeavor to make this at home,and it seems overwhelming, I'd recommend making the filling, ranchero sauce and roasting and stuffing the peppers in advance (like the day before) Then, just before serving, make the batter, spread it over the stuffed chiles and bake as directed (add about 10-15 minutes to the baking time due to the peppers being refrigerated.)

Trust me on this point, the results are well worth it. It is amazingly delicious and the best thing is that once it is put together, everyone can sit down to eat at the same time which is sort of the point of a family dinner, no?

Happy Cooking!

 sld